Philippine music fest celebrates cultural links
By Roli Ng | China Daily | Updated: 2011-02-26 07:21
MANILA, Philippines - Sitars, balalaikas and a medley of other stringed instruments took center stage this week as musicians from across Asia and the Middle East transcended the bounds of language and culture for a Manila music festival.
The four-day International Rondalla Festival gave each country a chance to showcase native stringed instruments in both traditional and modern tunes - an attempt to woo back young people more interested in iTunes than centuries-old instruments.
"Among all the different instruments in the world, the plucked string is one that has real connections all over the world," said La Verne Dela Pena, a musicologist.
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